InuYoukai
by Crimson Elemental Alchemist
Summary: Some demons aren't demons at all. When a wise wolf makes a deal with a child centuries ago to protect their village from invaders, it becomes something more...it becomes a god. But what happens when that deal goes bad?
1. Living A Dream

_Disclaimer: I do not own _InuYasha_. Any character not associated with _InuYasha_ is mine._

_Crimson: Hey, people! A new fic here. This is about a young half-demon, like InuYasha, who is from a different branch of inuyoukai (dog-demon) than Sesshomaru and InuYasha. But, just because they're different, does not mean that their paths have never crossed before._

_ READ ON!!_

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**Chapter One–**

**Living a Dream**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

**.::JOURNAL ENTRY #1::.**

_June 6, 2006_

_Hello. My name is Kaori Hagamato. I have black, straight hair that reaches to my upper thighs. I tend to keep it in a long braid. I like to keep my fingernails long enough so I can use them as claws whenever necessary. I have brown eyes that can . . . well, you'll see soon enough. I'm 5'4" tall, but I am eighteen years old. Oh! And I am a citizen of Japan. I was born in Japan but moved to America when I was about 4 or 5 years old. Thus, I was granted the choice of Japan or America whenever I turned eighteen. Of course, I chose Japan which is why I have to leave as soon as I can._

**.::NORMAL POV::.**

Kaori walked out of the airport and entered the huge city of Tokyo. A tourist map, along with a rumpled paper of directions, were clutched in her white hands. She had braided her black hair on the plane minutes before it had landed. A few strands still fell into her eyes as she stared in awe at the buildings towering overhead. Frustrated, Kaori pushed the stray hairs behind her ears. The sun was about to set, and she had already been delayed enough by the malfunctions of the plane back in Anchorage. She was an hour behind schedule.

"I hope Kagome-san is still waiting for me," she prayed under her breath as she waited for the bus to stop so she could climb on board. Kagome Higurashi had been Kaori's pen pal when Kaori had still lived in America. They had written to each other on a monthly basis at the very least. When Kaori had discovered _InuYasha_ at the age of seventeen, she had told Kagome about how much she had absolutely loved it. Kagome, of course, knew all about it, but had still shied away from the subject every time Kaori brought it up. As they became better friends through their letters, Kaori had even got up the courage to joke about her pen pal Kagome being the _InuYasha_ Kagome. She had laughed at the shocked response she had received the next month, although she really had wanted to believe that her Kagome Higurashi was actually the time-traveling miko.

Kaori sighed in self-exasperation at those memories as they replayed themselves in her head. _'What a foolish notion that was. Oh well, people can dream, can't they?_' She smiled as she looked out the window at all the buildings as the bus passed by them. _'She actually _did_ say that she and her family live in a shrine. That should be interesting to live in for awhile. At least until I can get back on my feet.' _Kaori fell into a daze as she thought about life in a Japanese shrine, keeping her ears alert for the mention of her stop.

The reason Kaori was heading to her pen pal's home was not for a short visit, but so she could live at Kagome's house. Soon after Kaori claimed Japanese citizenship, she found out that she had to leave the country. As quickly as she could, Kaori wrote to Kagome and told her about everything, including her fears of moving to a foreign country and not having a home to move to, nor any money to support herself. Kagome had responded within a couple weeks and calmed her down with the reassurance that the Higurashi shrine would be more than happy to take her in for as long as need be. So that was the deal. The date had been set, the directions had been given, and here Kaori was: on her way to her new home.

"_Higurashi Shrine_," issued a voice from the intercom just above her head. Kaori got up and grabbed her luggage–a side bag with the word _samurai_ on it in kanji–and headed out the open doors. The rest of her stuff would arrive at the shrine in the morning; the plans had already been taken care of. The bag she carried now held all of her most-precious belongings such as her writing journal and sketchpad. It also contained all of her essentials–womanly things and such, including a couple changes of clothing. She had no idea how she had managed to stuff it all in, but it was a skill of hers that came with being a female in her family tree.

Kaori stepped onto the smooth pavement in front of Sunset Shrine as the bus drove off behind her. Looking up at the long set of stairs, she breathed out a sigh of exasperation. "Why do humans have to be so extravagant?" Without another second's hesitation, Kaori began the long trek up the shrine's steps.

"I hope Kagome-san is still home," she thought aloud, eyes straying to the last bit of sun still peeking above the horizon. The reds, oranges, and pinks stained the fluffy clouds, making Kaori smile at the beautiful picture they made. _'Fluffy, huh?'_ Kaori's smile transformed into a mischievous smirk as the face of a certain inuyoukai entered her thoughts. _'Too bad he's only fantasy. Same with Naraku.' _The dark hanyou suddenly appeared in her mind, too. Heartless crimson eyes searing with life and yet promising death.

"Um, Lady?" someone's voice entered her ears, shattering her previous daydreaming. Kaori looked up and realized with a start of surprise that she had made it to the top of the stairs. A young boy stood in front of her; his short black hair framing an innocent face. A tremor of astonishment licked at her heart's core as recognition struck a chord in her memories. _'This boy looks exactly like Sota!'_ She maintained her cool facade as another realization hit her. _'Then again, manganese artists probably draw their stories from what is around them. It's probably coincidence.'_

Kaori noticed that the boy held a broom in his hands. Looking past him, she spotted a pile of trash and dust on one side of the pavement. She returned her attention to the "Sota look-alike" when he spoke up again.

"Excuse me? Who are you?" After a moment's hesitation, the boy who resembled so much like Sota from the manga asked, "Are you Kaori?"

Kaori smiled, happy that someone, at least, was home. "Yes. I'm Kaori Hagamato. Kagome was expecting me earlier, but my plane got delayed." She bowed her head a fraction in a show of apology. "I'm sorry for being late." Her knees began to shake slightly as the unfamiliar feeling of jet lag rushed through her. She growled low in her throat at this pretense of weakness. "May I ask your name? You are Kagome's little brother, right?"

"Oh, right! My name's Sota Higurashi, and, yeah, I'm her _younger_ brother." He took a closer look at their guest, spotting the tired look in the older girl's eyes. "Ah! I'm sorry! Come inside. You need to rest!" His anxious outburst brought a smile to Kaori's lips as Sota hastily dropped his broom and pulled on her hand. She went along willingly, watching the last of the sun's rays disappear beneath the horizon. Before she turned her eyes back to watch where she was going (or being dragged to), Kaori snapped her attention to an old-looking shack not far away. _'Is that the well house?'_ She drove all thoughts out of her head with a mental shake and glared determinedly ahead. She failed to notice the faint blue glow emit from the rundown structure as Sota towed her into the house.

"Hey! Mom! Kaori's here!" Sota slid out of his shoes, about to motion for Kaori to do the same when he noticed that she had already done so. _'Man, I thought foreigners didn't know about that. She's not bad.' _Sota left his pondering for another time, stepping up onto the raised floor of the main house. Kaori followed him effortlessly, never touching the concrete of the shoe area. Sota escorted Kaori into the kitchen, positive that his mom was in there. She was.

Mrs. Higurashi greeted the newcomer with good cheer, "Hello, Kaori. It's nice to finally meet you in person." She inclined her head at the young woman, never breaking the rhythm with which she stirred the broth in a metal pan. Kaori eyed the food longingly, enjoying the delicious scent flowing into her nostrils. "I'm sorry about Kagome, Kaori, but she had an important errand to run and won't be back until tomorrow morning, I'm afraid." The older woman recognized the ravenous look in Kaori's eyes and had to smile. "If you're hungry, then supper will be in a few minutes. Afterwards, you can take a bath and go to bed. I'm sure it's been a long trip." Kaori nodded her head in agreement, smiling in appreciation.

"Yes, and thank you for taking me in. I can't tell you how much it means to me." Mrs. Higurashi smiled and shook her head a bit to say that it was no big deal at all.

"Sota, how about you show our guest where her room is?" she proposed, returning to her cooking.

"Okay, Mom." Sota grabbed Kaori's hand again and pulled her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. "Come on, Kaori-san!" Kaori forced her leaden legs to move, eyes widening at the honorific to her name. She let her shock melt into a smile as her friend's little brother dragged her up the staircase in excitement. "We had a spare room before you told us that you needed a place to stay so we turned it into a bedroom for you. I helped out a bit so I hope you like it," Sota explained in a rush, adding the last bit with pride. As they arrived at the second floor, Sota sharply turned right, pulling Kaori after him in the process. They went a short way before Sota made another right turn and entered a room. Kaori stopped at the doorway and stared in wonder at the lighted area.

A simple bed rested in the right corner of the room, covered with a violet comforter. A white pillow stood out sharply against the dark blanket as it peeked through at the head of the bed. On the wall over the headboard, a map of Japan had been tacked up. Kaori smiled in gratitude at her pen pal. _'Kagome-san remembered how much I like studying maps. Odd hobby, but useful.'_ Looking around the room, she saw a black nightstand next to the bed with an alarm clock resting on the shiny surface. A black desk, with the same design as the nightstand, stood against the left wall. Kaori's eyes widened slightly when she noticed the computer on the desk. Dismissing it for the moment, she continued with her examination of the room. A closet stood open next to the desk; a few clothes had been hung up in it. Kaori smiled at the Higurashi family's kindness. Her brown eyes locked onto the huge window near the bed. It was then that she noticed what stood beside the window. Her mouth gaped open slightly, excitement building up in her.

"Do you like it?" Sota asked, smiling at the look on Kaori's face as she nodded her head emphatically. He walked over to the ebony-wood easel. Sheets of paper had already been stacked on the nightstand beside it, waiting to be used. Kaori strode over to her gift, running a slender hand down the polished object in complete amazement.

"When Kagome told us how great of an artist you were, I decided to get this out of the storage house. It used to be mine, but . . . I'm not very good so I didn't use it too much. I'm much better at video games." He rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"I love it, Sota-chan! It's beautiful!" Kaori hugged him out of pure happiness, momentarily forgetting that she had just met the boy. Sota felt his cheeks grow warm at the show of affection. "Do you want to see some of my drawings?" Kaori asked after she released him. At the boy's nod, Kaori set her bag down onto her new bed and rummaged around in it until she could pulled out her sketchpad. Handing it to Sota, Kaori crossed her legs and scooted further up onto the violet covers. The young boy climbed up to join her. As he flipped open the drawing pad, his eyes grew round.

"Wow! You did this?" At seeing her nod, Sota returned his attention to the picture. It showed two very detailed dogs sitting side-by-side. One had his hackles raised while the other just glared coldly at his companion. Kaori chuckled to herself as she looked at the drawing. It reminded her so much of InuYasha and SesshoMaru. In fact, they were exactly who she had based the drawing on. She watched Sota softly as he thumbed his way through half of the sketchbook. The next page he came upon was blank so he closed it and handed it back to Kaori. The girl deposited it on the bed as she got up to stretch out her sore muscles.

"Are you planning on selling those here in Japan?" Sota asked, catching Kaori off-guard.

She gained a thoughtful expression as the idea entered her head. "I guess I could try, but I'm not sure how anyone would take me too seriously." She raised her hands up in defeat. "Just because I'm a Japanese citizen, doesn't mean I'm not a foreigner. I've spent most of my life in America." She smiled as she caught the unmistakable voice of Mrs. Higurashi calling them down for supper. "Come on, let's go eat, Sota-chan." She walked out of the room and down the stairs. Sota followed right after her like a puppy.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at the pair. She was glad to see that Sota liked the new addition to the household. He didn't trust very many people so when he sat down next to Kaori at the table it made her feel more secure. Doesn't trust anyone . . . . _'That's not true_,_'_ she thought, _'he trusts InuYasha.'_ Thinking about the dog-eared hanyou brought Mrs. Higurashi back to worrying over her daughter and when she would arrive in the morning.

"Mrs. Higurashi, this is great! You're such a good cook!" Kaori's voice broke into her motherly concerns, banishing them momentarily. She smiled at her daughter's friend, laughing lightly when Kaori slurped her noodles too fast and they splattered her face. Wiping off the droplets, Kaori gave a small, embarrassed smile and picked up her chopsticks again.

"My goodness, child," Gramps remarked. "The food won't disappear. And by the way, where did you say you were born?" The old man set down his chopsticks and half-empty bowl of rice to wait for the girl's answer imperiously.

Kaori resisted the sudden urge to cock her head in confusion at the abrupt change in conversation. "I didn't say where I was born, but I was told it was Okinawa, Japan." She watched as Gramp's eyes lit up and he sat up a little straighter. He cleared his throat importantly.

"Well, I just happen to know a few legends concerning that island. Very interesting as well. About five-hundred years ago–"

"Kaori, maybe you should take your bath now, dear," Mrs. Higurashi broke in before her father could get on too good a roll. Kaori nodded her head in acknowledgment and quickly rinsed off her dishes in the sink. Walking out of the room, she headed up the stairs once more and entered her bedroom. Pulling out her night clothes–an overlarge T-shirt and a pair of shorts–Kaori slipped back out. Her bare feet hardly made a sound as she ventured down the short hallway, recalling the location of the bathroom when Sota had dragged her up earlier. Stopping at the last door on the left, Kaori was about to enter when she heard whispering behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that the door on the opposite wall had a light shining out the cracks.

Curious at the two voices she could hear; Kaori turned the brass doorknob and eased it open noiselessly. The light snapped off instantly and Kaori stood in the darkened doorway of an empty bedroom. Looking around, she spotted a bed, a desk, and various books scattered everywhere. Other than that, there was nothing else. "Where was that whispering coming from then?" She closed the door, but not before noticing that the window was wide open.

"Hmmm," she said to herself as she walked into the bathroom and stripped down. Sinking into the hot water that Mrs. Higurashi had prepared for her, Kaori came to a conclusion, "Something is not right here. I don't like to pry . . . okay, I do, but not into my friends' lives. Still, I'm going to have to check out the grounds tomorrow." Closing her eyes, Kaori let the warmth of the water release the stress in her tight muscles. She was going to have a long day tomorrow, discovering the hidden secrets of this shrine. Raising her eyelids, she let her scarlet eyes roam over the steamy room. "I sense magic in this place. Maybe _InuYasha_ is real." _'I sure hope so_,_'_ she thought plaintively. _'Living in a world where demons are thought not to exist is hard on me__–__a half-demon_._'_ "Maybe I could help Kagome-san and the others. I'm not very useful when it comes to fighting, but I could help them in other ways." She closed her eyes once more; the passion at the prospect of adventure burning a crimson color into the irises.

Not long after her bath, Kaori headed off to bed. Leaving her stuff packed as a precaution, she dropped her bag onto the floor beside her bed. Crawling beneath the violet covers, Kaori drifted off to sleep. Welcoming visions of InuYasha and the others entered her dreams, granting her access to their night's excursions. She watched in exasperation as Miroku's hand inched over to Sango. She even smiled at Kagome telling InuYasha to sit after he swiped Shippo's fish away. Sadness entered her silver gaze, turning her irises black. She was just an observer here, nothing more than the wind. Much like Kanna's mirror, but limited to a certain point. Kaori stayed there throughout the night, watching over the Inu Gang as they slept; her youkai form reveling in the fullness of the moon . . . .


	2. Fall From Reality

_Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I still do not own_ InuYasha_, but Kaori is mine and mine alone! **hugs a surprised Kaori**_

_Crimson: Hello again. I hope you liked the first installment of this story^^ I have nothing to say really so READ ON!_

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**Chapter Two–**

**Fall From Reality**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

_**Kaori's Pov**_

_Ring! Ring! Ring! Ri__–__! _I slammed a flat palm on the top of the alarm clock, growling slightly as I woke up. I had been pulled out of my dream wanderings by that jarring noise, and I was very unhappy about it. Stretching out beneath the covers on my bed, I yawned and rubbed away the last bits of sleep still trapped in my eyes. They were brown once more, completely devoid of any demonic appearance for which I was grateful and depressed at the same time.

I suddenly cheered up when I remembered my idea from yesterday. And I grew even more anxious as I glanced out the window and saw that the sun was no where near rising. It would be a couple more hours at least before dawn broke over the land of Japan. Hot blood pumped through my veins as I rose from my bed and dressed quickly. A pair of form-fitting black pants covered my slim legs, and a black T-shirt that read "Your ugliness cheers me up" in English on the front in white letters. I let my black hair remain loose as the morning air remained fairly cool. Picking up my bag, I swung it onto my shoulder and crept out of my new room.

Sneaking down the stairs was relatively easy–the Higurashi family kept the place in excellent condition. I entered the empty kitchen and found some lined paper lying abandoned on the table. _'Sota must have been working late.'_ I smiled as I slipped a pencil out of my bag and hunched over a single sheet. Scribbling a hasty note, I informed the Higurashi family that I had to go to the airport to retrieve my things.

I cringed a bit as I left the house, hating myself for lying to these kind people. It's not like I had any other choice, though. I couldn't very well tell them that I was searching for the magical well and that I wasn't actually human. I shook myself mentally, heading out in the direction of the old shack I had seen earlier. That had to be the well house! It just had to be!

Upon entering the supposed well house, the door creaked and groaned. I looked around and saw that the whole building was made of old wood. Parts of the wall and floor were even warped, creating dangerous areas where carelessness could earn you a broken bone. I stepped across the floor of the well house, heedless of those areas. I had no need to worry about minor things such as that. Even if I had such a need, my eyes would not waver from the center of the shack. I walked down the steps to the old well, carefully placing my hands upon the rim. Instantly, my eyes lost their focus, and a blue light was the last thing that registered in my memory as I fell headfirst into a brightly-lit world.

_**Normal Pov**_

"InuYasha, SIT!" a voice screamed, rousing Kaori from her unconscious state.

She sat up suddenly, holding her head in one hand as the world spun around her in a blur of black, brown, and strips of white. She closed her eyes tightly against the whirling sensation and waited it out. Finally, when she could feel the headache ebbing away, Kaori opened her eyes. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Four walls surrounded her, each one about three feet away from her as she sat with her legs beneath her. Looking at the ground, the gleam from white bones met her expectant eyes. A smile curved her lips; her eyes danced in joy. Raising her face to meet the open sky, Kaori frowned at the slowly lighting dawn. A couple of hours must have passed after she fell into the well. She bit her lip thoughtfully. _'Which would mean that they are probably up.'_ She shrugged her shoulders expressively, dusting herself off as she got up. No use in wasting the effort of getting to the Sengoku Jidai.

"InuYasha, as soon as I'm done eating, I'm going back to my era!" Kaori smiled at the voice of her pen pal, Kagome (they had spoken over the phone a couple times before). She took firm hold of one of the sturdy vines, climbing out with ease.

"What?! You just got back! You're not going anywhere!" the hanyou's voice carried on the wind, greeting Kaori's ears with the anger in it. Kaori sat on the rim of the well, looking around. When Kagome's voice came again, she located where they were. Her eyes locked onto a group of bushes not far from the well.

"I have someone I have to meet, InuYasha!" Kagome's voice steadily grew more irritated by the minute. Kaori sat on the sun-warmed wood, debating whether or not to join the IY group or to go scouting for SesshoMaru. She was swinging her legs, succeeding remarkably in looking very childish in doing so.

"Who is it, Kagome?! Homo?!" InuYasha yelled, his voice becoming ever-the-more angrier as well.

"No! And it's 'Hojo'! Not 'Homo'!" Kagome was getting near the shrieking stage and Kaori had to plug her ears with her fingers. Rolling her eyes in exasperation at the couple's argument, Kaori was seriously considering leaving to go search for SesshoMaru, or even Naraku, just so she could get away from their screaming. "I'm leaving NOW!" Kagome's voice broke through the bushes. Kaori nearly leapt from the well to hide when Kagome, herself, tore through the underbrush at high speed.

_'Memo to self: NEVER get Kagome angry!'_ The miko's deadly expression alone was enough to get demons running for cover, but it was the spiky aura that Kaori could feel that almost got her to turn tail. The streak of pride running through Kagome's aura, however, kept the girl steady. _'Hmm. She must be happy that InuYasha got jealous.'_ Kaori got up from her post and spoke up before Kagome decided to barrel into her.

"Hello, Kagome-san!" Kaori practically yelled, trying to drown out the enraged cries of InuYasha. At the rate her pen pal was storming, Kaori had little hope of Kagome actually being happy to see her. _'Stupid InuYasha!' _she thought privately.

Kagome stopped mid step, not even noticing when InuYasha barreled into her from behind. The inuhanyou backed up, not bothering to apologize to the schoolgirl. Kaori spotted more movement in the bushes and watched knowingly as four more forms emerged. A monk dressed in purple-and-black robes (Miroku); a woman in a kimono that had a white-and-red top and green skirt (Sango); a young kitsune with orange hair and a fluffy tail (Shippo); and a small neko-demon with cream-colored fur (Kirara).

Kaori smiled politely at them all, keeping a careful eye on InuYasha. The half-demon sniffed the air, searching the new girl's scent. Kaori's eyes danced mischievously as she waited for the reaction from him. _'I wonder if he can smell it?'_ She didn't have long to wait as InuYasha clutched the hilt of Tetsusaiga and stepped in front of Kagome (who was still too shocked to do anything).

"You're not human! Who are you and what do you want?!" InuYasha growled, pulling out his father's fang.

"Come on, InuYasha," Kaori sighed, feigning exasperation. "Why would I attack you when I've been watching out for you all this time?" Her eyes had turned slightly red at the edges, displaying her pleasure at finally being near the inuhanyou.

"Protecting?" InuYasha looked dumbstruck, as did the others. Kaori sighed again, her eyes reverting back to their human, mundane brown. She waved a hand in front of her face in dismissal and turned her back on them.

"Fine. If you don't want me to help you guys, then I'll just go find SesshoMaru. He's about a few hours' walk away from here anyway." _'Besides, I'll have to face him sooner or later. Though I'd rather it later than sooner.'_ Before she got even three paces away, InuYasha was in front of her. The Tetsusaiga was safe in its sheath, but the look of distrust had not retired from the hanyou's eyes. Kaori cocked her head like a puppy would, a question in her eyes.

InuYasha hesitated after seeing the display. The girl reminded him of a young pup not fully understanding the situation. _'She is a hanyou. Maybe she's an inuhanyou like me.' _InuYasha's hopeful thoughts did not show through his determined face, but Kaori sensed the fresh set of waves in his aura. She smiled to herself.

"What are you?" his voice had softened to a normal tone; no longer the heated yelling that had issued from his mouth mere moments ago. Kaori bit her lip, not wanting to admit the origin of her blood quite yet. InuYasha's lip curled slightly to show her a flash of fangs, and he even gave her a warning growl. Kaori worked fast.

"I am an inuhanyou, on my mother's side." _'Or so I was told_,_'_ she said to herself in irritation. "I'm from the modern–er, Kagome's time era, though. Very few demons exist there. And those who do learn to keep their mouths shut and their auras dimmed." She gave a small wave of her hand as if to dismiss the entire discussion, but the other wouldn't have it.

Miroku came forward with a set look on his face. Kaori narrowed her eyes apprehensively at the restless flow of his aura. He came right up to her, forcing Kaori to tilt her chin up to keep eye contact. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kagome dropping her face into her hand in exasperation. The monk took Kaori's hand in his and then came the famous question.

"My dear girl," he began with feigned innocence, "you must have led a difficult life. Settling down and raising children always soothes one's soul. Will you do me the honor of having my son?" His eyes were calm as they stared into her blue ones. That calm shattered as he realized the change. "My Lady, were your eyes not brown?" His previous plan to seduce her fell from his mind as a certain boomerang bone came from seemingly nowhere and struck him on the back of his head. Miroku's unconscious form crumpled to the dirt. A very angry Sango stood behind the fallen monk, clutching the leather strap of her Hiraikotsu.

Before anyone could object, Kagome came up to Kaori and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're still suffering from jet lag, aren't you, Kaori?" Kaori looked at her tiredly and nodded. Kagome's eyes fell on the well then glanced back at her friend. The light of the morning sun revealed the slight shivers of extreme sleep-deprivation as it wracked her body. Kagome sighed as she pointed her friend in the direction of the village. Kaori walked as best she could in her state, but soon the effort proved too much and she dropped to the grass in exhaustion.

"InuYasha, could you please carry her to Kaede?" Kagome asked the hanyou politely, trying not to start another fight with him. Shippo, Kirara, Sango, and a slightly-reeling Miroku looked on in astonishment as their half-demon friend picked up the girl without a word. They all followed as Kagome and InuYasha walked together a few feet in front of them.

"Thank you, InuYasha." Kagome said, carrying Kaori's bag.

"Feh. I thought she said that she was a half-demon," he couldn't infuse the usual gruffness that he always used. Kaori was asleep on his back; he saw her as a pup even if she was older than Kagome. "Half-demons don't need to sleep as humans do."

"Yeah, but they do need to sleep _sometime_, you know." Kagome looked over at Kaori, "She hasn't had any sleep for several nights." Amusement entered her eyes as she watched her friend sleep peacefully even while riding on someone's back. InuYasha let a glance stray over to Kagome in confusion.

_'What does that mean? Why hasn't she been getting any sleep?' _The half-demon grunted in annoyance. It didn't matter; she wasn't going to stay.

As they entered Kaede's village, familiar faces greeted them. Miroku restrained himself from venturing off in search of pretty maidens; his curiosity about the newcomer far too great to leave. Stepping into Kaede's dark hut, the group took up places along the wall to wait patiently. InuYasha set the girl down, easing her head onto a tatami mat. Kagome took Kaede aside and explained the matter to her. The old woman nodded her head in understanding.

"Very well, then. If she is a friend of Kagome's, then she is welcome here." Miroku had already disappeared from the hut after realizing that Kaori would probably sleep the entire day away. Kaede acted as if she did not notice his absence, "I will be out gathering herbs. Kagome, your friend will need to sleep for a while so we best go about our business here in the village. And is ye family aware of her absence?" The elderly woman watched as realization dawned on the young miko's face.

"Oh no! I completely forgot!" Kagome got to her feet, "I better go back and tell them. I'll be back soon!" she waved to Kaede and the others as she took off in the direction of the well. InuYasha only feh'd and went off after her. Shippo followed after the pair to await their return from the modern era.

"Sango, if this old woman may ask: are ye planning on taking this girl with ye?" Lady Kaede waited for the demon slayer to answer.

"Well . . . I'm not sure, but I do not wish for anyone else to get involved with Naraku." She looked down at the sleeping girl as Kaori moved restlessly for a few minutes before settling down again. "I will see you later tonight, Lady Kaede," Sango said, exiting the hut quickly. _'Why does she remind me of Kohaku?' _Sadness clung to her like a cloud as she and Kirara retired to a clearing for training.


End file.
